Rafael

Disappointing

Revisado: 02-24-14

I guess I expected too much from Lynch, but I feel certain that he didn't make as much of an effort this time around, either. The plot was just barely there and his characters aren't nearly as interesting, intelligent or charming as he would like to think, not enough to carry the slim premise of the book, in any case. To be sure, it was basically an excuse to delve into the history of the characters and introduce a certain someone who's been missing from the series (and who's been referenced on more than one occasion). And despite an entire book to do so, Lynch flailed and came up with nothing at the end. Just like the antagonists, every character besides Locke acts as a counterpoint to his. Locke is the only one who has any semblance of consistency or personal growth. On the point of antagonists, Lynch has always had to contrive a thoroughly convoluted way of involving them with Locke's story, this time around the complications remain but the reasoning just doesn't add up. I kept thinking, but why? Then when Lynch would explain a little bit more further on, I'd still be wondering why someone would go through all that trouble... like why? Usually, I can forgive or even forget these little mishaps because the story is so engrossing and the worldbuilding fantastic. But Lynch has hit with The Republic of Thieves. He didn't add anything new or anything that was sufficiently interesting to make someone want to read on. And the ending was supposed to be a cliffhanger (I think?) but all it did was make me begrudge Lynch: "Really? This was the big twist? Really? Oh and why did [ ] do that? That makes no sense! [ ] is supposed to be better than that!!"
I really, really wanted to like this book, but in the end I was just exhausted from waiting for something interesting or surprising to happen. I finished the book at night, turned off the lights and immediately went to sleep. It didn't make me buzz with excitement or awe, it was just something I had to get over so that I could focus on another book.
I would not recommend this for anyone who is not already obsessed with Lynch's world or who has very high expectations and was slightly disappointed by Red Seas Under Red Skies (which was good, don't get me wrong). Read a summary if you're curious. Save yourself the time and the money.
In its defense, I will say that the interludes were pretty cute and did a better job of entertaining me than the main story line. The task to which The Gentlemen Bastards are appointed to at first seemed a bit dull and slow-going for me, but once I got into it, I was able to appreciate the labor Lynch put into building up that story within the story of the book.

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